Michelle Obama's stinging rebuke to Donald Trump over his comments about groping women could be the intervention that finally seals the Republican candidate's fate in next month's election. The First Lady's speech, at a Hillary Clinton rally in New Hampshire on Thursday, distilled all the outrage and disbelief over Trump's remarks – and alleged sexual misconduct – that have been swirling around for a week into a succinct, damning judgement:

"This wasn't just locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behaviour, and actually bragging about kissing and groping women, using language so obscene that many of us were worried about our children hearing it when we turned on the TV."